


I Love You Too

by Awseomness



Category: Tenkuu no Escaflowne | The Vision of Escaflowne
Genre: Arguably Canon Compliant, Bisexual Kanzaki Hitomi, F/F, F/M, Multi, Not a lot of Van content, Polyamory, Post-Canon, Racy makeouts, What can I say I'm a lesbian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:47:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23866267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Awseomness/pseuds/Awseomness
Summary: It's been two years since the Black Dragons were defeated for good and the hard work of rebuilding Fanelia began. Two years of Hitomi living on Earth, occasionally visiting Gaea on wings of light. Two years of Merle enduring Hitomi's relationship with Van, even though it breaks her heart and makes her feel so alone. Two years, during which Hitomi has had the time to discover a few things about herself, and about her feelings regarding a certain cat girl.
Relationships: Hitomi Kanzaki/Merle, Hitomi Kanzaki/Van Fanel/Merle
Kudos: 7





	I Love You Too

**Author's Note:**

> Listen.  
> In terms of relationships in Escaflowne, Hitomi's relationship with Merle is the strongest, is the cutest, and sees the most development over the course of the show. As much as I absolutely believe Hitomi and Van love each other, there's a part of me that so deeply wants to see Merle and Hitomi kiss.  
> And if no one else is going to help with that, then goddammit I'll do it myself.

"So, obviously we need to talk to Merle about it." Hitomi leaned against Van's broad chest. He was so warm, and his strong arms wrapped aorund her. She loved this spot, here in his arms. "We could do it together."

"Actually," He shifted in place so he could look her in the eyes. Those dark green eyes as deep as the sea. "I think you should be the one to talk to her."

"Really?"

He nodded. "I've been her best friend our whole lives. She's going to react differently if I'm the one who tells her. The real question is how she'll respond to you."

She sighed and nuzzled into his neck. "You're right. I guess it has to be me."

"You could always do a reading beforehand, just in case."

"Uh-uh. I told you, I'm retired." Her finger booped his nose.

He cupped her cheek and kissed her lips. "Good luck."

"Thanks." She kissed him back. "I love you."

\---

Merle stretched out happily on her bed. The sunlight filtering in felt so good on her fur, so warm in this sleepy afternoon. She moved so the warm ray mostly landed on her back and yawned, ready for an afternoon nap.

That's when there was a knock on her door. Hitomi's voice filtered through the wood. "Merle?"

She had been about to groan over nap being interrupted, but her ears perked up at Hitomi's voice. She hopped out of bed and over to the door, opening it wide. "Hey, Hitomi!"

"Can I come in?"

"Of course." Merle left the door open and sauntered back to her bed, plopping herself down in as much of the sunbeam as she could No sense in wasting a perfectly good sunbeam.

Hitomi closed the door behind her, then sat down next to Merle. Even after Merle's last growth spurt, Hitomi was taller than her by a fair bit. Stronger too, from the look of her toned limbs. Apparently in her time back on the Mystic Moon, Hitomi had been keeping up with that sports thing Merle had heard about once or twice.

"So, what's up?"

Hitomi bit her lip. "I noticed you've been avoiding me."

"What?" That was ridiculous. Merle had even hugged Hitomi when she came back! Okay, sure, they hadn't really had a conversation since that first night, and Merle always had a convenient excuse to leave the room whenever she saw Hitomi with Van, but she wasn't avoiding her. "That's not true. I've just... I'm trying to give you and Lord Van some space."

Hitomi looked sad then. Almost apologetic. "Merle... I don't want to take Van away from you."

"No! Hitomi," Merle looked away, cutting her off. "We did the whole love triangle thing. It's over now, I gave you guys my blessing, and I want you to be happy."

"And I want you to be happy too!" Hitomi took Merle's hand, but the younger girl didn't turn around. "Merle, I love you."

"Don't worry about me, Hitomi!" Merle's hand squeezed around hers, and it was clear from the way her fur was bristling that she was upset. "You don't have to pity me. You make Van happy, and he makes you happy, and that's all I want."

Clearly, Merle didn't understand. So, Hitomi took her by the cheek and pulled her around to face her. She leaned in, then, and brought their lips together.

Merle froze. Her eyes wide, her muscles stiff, her fur on edge. Hitomi was kissing her. And it wasn't a chaste peck between friends or sisters. It was a real kiss. A lover's kiss.

Hitomi held the kiss for a long while before finally pulling back, smiling.

Merle finally found the ability to move her body, and she pushed Hitomi away from her, retreating to the end of the bed. "No! What was that?! Hitomi, you love Van!"

"Merle, in my time back on Earth, I learned a few things. About relationships. About myself." She kept smiling, undeterred by Merle's surprised reaction. "I can love two people, Merle. And you know what? So can Van."

"What are you talking about?"

"We've been talking, Van and I. And we realized that, as much as we love each other, we're also both in love with you."

"That's crazy! You can't love two people." Merle crossed her arms.

"Says who?"

"Everyone!"

Hitomi crosses her own arms. "Well, I don't care what everyone says. I know what I feel."

"How would it even work?"

"Really well, actually." She rolled her eyes like it was obvious.

"Van can't marry both of us."

"Van's the king of Fanelia. He can marry us both if he wants to."

"But what about succession?"

"Merle, I'm not planning to stay away from Earth long enough for that to be a problem." She pat her lower stomach with a knowing expression. "No chance of me getting pregnant, I promise."

Merle didn't look convinced by any of this.

Hitomi sighed. "Look, I'm not here t push you into anything you don't want to do. If you don't like the idea of a three-person relationship, or you just don't want to be in a relationship with me, that's fine. I - we - just wanted you to know that we love you, and... we want you, if you'll have us."

Merle slowly, cautiously, let her shoulders and her fur fall. She eyed Hitomi carefully, a thousand thoughts swirling in her head, vying for supremacy.

"Hey." She said, quietly.

Hitomi looked at her, a tiny smile growing on her lips. "Yeah?"

"When you said you're in love with me..." She willed herself to look Hitomi in the eyes. "...did you mean it?"

A softness flooded Hitomi's expression. "I wouldn't joke about something like that. Of course I meant it."

Merle's eyebrows knit in confusion. "Why?"

"Well," Hitomi leaned back, "I love your energy. How outgoing and passionate you are. And I love how clever and resourceful you can be. I admire the way you speak your mind, and the way you aren't afraid to ask for support when you need it. Sure, you're stubborn, and bratty, and you can be downright mean sometimes. But, those things all come from the qualities I love about you. So, I even kind of love your brattiness."

Hitomi looked then at Merle to find the cat girl staring at her, appraising her. Considering her every word. Her expression was inscrutable.

So, Hitomi continued. "But I think what I love most about you... is your kind heart."

That confused her. "What?"

Hitomi glanced down and smiled. "Ever since I first came to Gaea, you've been there for me, Merle. Even when you were teasing me, or jealous of me, or hated me for getting close to Van, you've always looked out for me. I think, really, you were my first friend here. You kept me safe even when it was in your best interest to let something happen to me. And I'll always love you for that."

There was no change in coloration that Hitomi could see past Merle's fur, but as she studied the other girl's expression she realized Merle was blushing. She grinned.

"I really should have realized it sooner. Probably back when you helped me and Van escape the world of the dead. But until recently, I didn't even realize I could feel that way about girls." She silently thanks Yukari in her mind. Even if she was with Amano, Yukari still saw fit to come out to Hitomi as bisexual, which gave Hitomi the kick in the pants she needed to really think about her own feelings in that regard. "And it's okay if you don't feel the same way about me. I just want you to know how I feel."

"I don't... know how I feel." Merle let her guard down, but didn't move from her spot. "I've only ever thought about love when it came to Lord Van..."

Hitomi's eyes showed concern. That wasn't good. If Merle was planning to give Van up, she really should be thinking about her own romantic life too. Was she planning to be a spinster?

Merle moved toward her slowly. "Could you... could you kiss me again?"

Hitomi smiled at her. "I'd love to!"

She cupped Merle's cheek in her hand and thrilled when the cat girl closed her eyes and leaned forward, lips parting already. She leaned in and kissed her, and found Merle's lips to be soft, full even. The taste, which she hadn't noticed before, was strange. Despite eating much the same, Merle's lips didn't taste a thing like Van's.

Curious, she pushed her tongue forward, and Merle whimpered but didn't pull away. She allowed Hitomi to move past her lips and mingle with her own tongue. She moved forward, wanting more, and found herself straddling Hitomi's lap, arms wrapped around the taller girl's neck.

Eventually, they had to break the kiss and take a breath. A line of drool still connected their panting lips. Hitomi's grin was lustful. "Your tongue is smooth."

"Of course it is." Merle said between breaths. "What else would it be?"

"I was half-expecting it to feel like sandpaper."

"Don't be weird."

"Did you like it?" Hitomi asked. "Kissing me?"

Merle hugged her tight, clinging to her with her arms and legs. "I did! Hitomi... I think I love you too!"

"Are you sure?" Hitomi could swear she heard Merle purring.

"Uh-huh." She pulled back so she could look Hitomi in the eye. "I want to. I want to be with you and Van!"

Hitomi felt happy tears well up in her eyes, but she blinked them away and brought Merle into another kiss. As they made out in earnest, Hitomi let her hand drift down lower until she cupped Merle's butt.

"It's really not fair," She said between kisses. "You've been teasing me for three years with your short little dresses. Never wearing underpants. Do you know how many dreams I've had about your butt?"

"What about you?" Merle nibbled at Hitomi's lower lip. "With your big ol' eyes and your muscley legs. I've lost sleep over you too, ya know."

Hitomi let her hand drift over Merle's thigh, then around to her front and up to the softer fur of her stomach. Merle gasped when she felt Hitomi's hand slip lower toward her softest place-

-then whimpered when Hitomi took her hands away entirely.

"Ah ah." She leaned back, using those hands to support herself. "I want me and Van to give you your first time together."

Merle pouted at her. "What makes you think it's my first time?"

Hitomi raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

She moved forward, hand heading right for Merle, only to find it held at bay by both of Merle's hands.

"Okay, okay! It's my first time! I'm a virgin! Are you happy?"

Evidently so. Hitomi was laughing at her.

Merle fell backwards onto the bed, covering her face with her hands. "Ugh! You're so mean, Hitomi. I hate you."

Hitomi feigned shock. "You can't say that! You have to be nice to your precious girlfriend."

Merle felt her heart leap at that word. "Girlfriend." She had a girlfriend. Hitomi was her girlfriend now. Her chest buzzed and she couldn't stop a dopey grin from spreading across her face. Thank the wing goddess she was already covering it.

And that meant Van was her boyfriend now too! And she could kiss Van like she kissed Hitomi! That feeling of loneliness, of being unwanted and unneeded when she pictured Van and Hitomi kissing, it faded away, replaced by a tentative understanding that they wanted her too.

Now Hitomi was certain Merle was purring. She crawled over the bed until she was looming above Merle, hands and knees on either side of the smaller girl. Merle peeked out shyly from behind her fingers.

"Since you're our girlfriend now," Hitomi said, her expression a little more smug than Merle liked. She would tell her to quit looking at her like that if it wasn't currently doing things to her. "We should go let Van know the good news."

Merle nodded. She wanted to see Van. She wanted to know what being loved by Van and Hitomi at the same time was like.

"Although..." Hitomi leaned down a little. "There's a part of me that really wants to keep you all to myself a little longer."

"We could kiss some more." Merle said, her voice quiet. "But not for too long. I want to kiss Van too."

"You'll have plenty of time to make out with him while I'm back on Earth." Hitomi leaned lower until their lips were an inch apart. She whispered, "But the three of us are going to have so much fun together until then."


End file.
